Botanical Overview
Latin name: Silybum marianum
Family: Asteraceae
Parts used: Seed
Common names: Milk thistle, Lady’s thistle, St. Mary’s thistle
Energetics
Temperature: cooling
Moisture: drying
Tastes: bitter
Directionality: ascending
Tonicity: tonifying
Qi/Blood/Fluid: qi
Primary Actions
- Hepatoprotective
- Antioxidant
- Choleretic
- Anti-inflammatory
Indications
Western
- Liver toxicity
- Jaundice
- Indigestion
- Dyspepsia
- Hepatitis
- Fatty liver
Syndromes
- Liver disorders
- Toxic liver damage
- Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis
TCM
- Liver qi stagnation
- Damp heat
Syndromes
- Liver fire
- Damp heat in liver
Ayurveda
- Jaundice
- Digestive weakness
- Toxin accumulation
Syndromes
- Pitta imbalance
- Rakta dushti
Unani
- Liver disorders
- Bilious conditions
Syndromes
- Damvi phul
- Hepatomegaly
Constituents & Mechanisms
Major phytochemicals include flavonolignans such as silymarin, silybin, silidianin and silychristin, responsible for antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects.
Dosage & Preparations
- Standardized extract 140 mg silymarin 2-3 times daily
- Seed powder 1-3 g daily
- Tincture 1:5 30-40% ethanol, 2-5 mL 1-3 times daily
Safety & Contraindications
Generally considered safe with mild gastrointestinal effects possible. Avoid if allergic to Asteraceae plants. Use cautiously in pregnancy and lactation due to limited safety data. May interact with liver enzyme-metabolized drugs and antidiabetics.
Astrological Correspondences
No well-supported planetary or elemental rulers established for Silybum marianum.
Selected References
- European Medicines Agency (EMA) Herbal Monograph on Silybum marianum (2019)
- Phytotherapy Research Journal: Milk thistle for liver diseases (2015)
- Plants For A Future (PFAF) Database